Academic Commons Search Resultshttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog.rss?f%5Bauthor_facet%5D%5B%5D=Mitchell%2C+Lincoln+A.&f%5Bsubject_facet%5D%5B%5D=Public+administration&q=&rows=500&sort=record_creation_date+desc
Academic Commons Search Resultsen-usLibya and the Strength of the American Foreign Policy Establishmenthttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:141348
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11647Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000The NATO involvement in Libya continues characterized by an anticipated ambiguity about next steps, overall goals and methods of reaching those goals as well as the real possibility that this timely intervention may, in fact, have saved thousands of lives. The decision to intervene in Libya, while first resisted by the Obama administration has been generally accepted by both Democrats and Republicans in Washington who have disagreed about the timing and methods, but less about the decision itself. While there has been some dissent and criticism of the Obama administration for this decision, most of that has come from the ideological extremes or from ordinary citizens.International relations, Public administrationlam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsThe Deficit, Foreign Policy and Defunding USAIDhttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:141324
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11640Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000Last week a group of 165 Republicans in the House of Representatives called for ending support for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This would be an extraordinary move with extraordinary consequences as ending funding for USAID would severely hamper the ability of the U.S. to pursue much its foreign policy. Without USAID, U.S. foreign policy would largely be limited to defense, direct government assistance to foreign countries and diplomacy. Eliminating USAID would leave the U.S. with even fewer options in international politics, strip the country of much of its soft power and terminate programs which deliver effective foreign assistance in everything from health care to support for civil society organizations. Additionally, the savings would not be very substantial as the entire USAID budget for 2010 was around $1.5 billion.International relations, Public administrationlam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsAfter Gaddafihttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:141372
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11656Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000The end of Muammar Gaddafi's authoritarian regime in Libya is something that should be celebrated. Gaddafi was an often brutal leader whose involvement in terrorist activities earned him enmity from many. The habits of years of largely unchallenged rule contributed to Gaddafi becoming increasingly strange during the later years of his leadership. This became most evident during his last months in office, particularly in the weeks leading up to the NATO intervention in his country, when Gaddafi's threats and rantings were both frightening and bizarre.Mass communication, Public administrationlam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsBlaming WikiLeakshttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:140878
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11612Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000The WikiLeaks story has unified the political elite in the U.S. elsewhere to a startling degree. It is as almost as if a readiness to strongly criticize WikiLeaks is the not so secret password to be part of this elite. Based on the barrage of attacks on WikiLeaks and its leader Julian Assange, one would think that Assange is single-handedly responsible for the difficulties the U.S. faces all over the world.Political science, Public administrationlam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsStructural Dysfunction in Foreign Policyhttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:140896
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11620Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000Diplomats, academics and other foreign policy experts who visit the U.S. are often struck by the quality and size of the foreign policy community. It is, therefore, even more puzzling and upsetting that such a smart, large and vibrant community of foreign policy experts consistently produces such uncreative frequently, unsuccessful and often dysfunctional policies, leading to an expensive network of military bases, poorly thought out wars, diminished leverage will both allies and adversaries and failure to take meaningful leadership on issues of global import such as climate change. U.S. foreign policy is trapped by the illogic of its bureaucracy, an unwillingness to disaggregate what is desirable from what is possible and a view of the U.S. role in the world that is not only inaccurate, but so deeply held that it is rarely seriously challenged even in an otherwise very deliberative foreign policy community.Public administration, International relationslam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsRichard Holbrooke and American Empirehttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:140893
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11619Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000Richard Holbrooke's death this week at the age of 69 brings to a close one of the most extraordinary diplomatic careers in American history.Public administration, International relationslam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog postsWikiLeaks and the Power of Secrecyhttp://academiccommons.columbia.edu/catalog/ac:140902
Mitchell, Lincoln A.http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:11622Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000The newest revelations from WikiLeaks is being described as a major scandal revealing potentially embarrassing and damaging secrets for the U.S., possibly causing tension between the U.S. and important allies and has caused the Obama administration to consider legal action against WikiLeaks. These leaks raise may cause lasting harm to the U.S. Much of this will be little more than embarrassing, but some will have more serious implications for the country and its security. The leaks raise a number of questions around the role and security of secret information in the current media and technological environment.Mass communication, Public administrationlam13Harriman Institute, International and Public AffairsBlog posts